Who's Afraid of the Evil Wolf?
by Alex Ryzlin Gold
Summary: Granny had warned Snow about Red from the beginning. Red had always been obsessed with Regina, and that hadn't changed after Regina became the Evil Queen. Granny just wished that Snow had listened to her because it was too late now and Emma would pay the price. Hinted RedQueen. Warnings for an evil Red who likes to do evil things. One shot.


Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. Damn…

The first time Granny warned Snow about trusting Red had been when they first met, shortly after Red had decided to travel with Snow and help her survive in the forest. Granny had sent Red out back to get enough firewood before she left, leaving her and Snow in a rather awkward silence.

"Snow, you seem like a good girl who got screwed over very early on in your life. So don't think this is me not liking you or something. Let Red guide you through the forest areas that she knows and then leave her and stay away from her. Don't trust her."

Snow had stared at Granny with shock, but before she could say anything, Red was back and as excited to get going as it was possible for her to be. Granny knew that Snow wouldn't listen to her, but she had to try.

No one knew that they had once worked as servants at the Mills estate and no one ever would. Granny had been the cook and Red had worked in the kitchens with her. Red had been kept out of sight from Cora, but the same hadn't been possible for Regina. Red had blindly followed Regina around since they had met when Red was five and Regina was ten. They had been best, but secret friends for the next eight years until Regina was married off to King Leopold. Red had tried to see Regina after her marriage, but she had been turned away at the palace gates. The first thing she did after hearing of Leopold's death was to travel to the palace and find Regina.

Granny had no idea what had happened over the month Red had spent with Regina, but it hadn't been anything good. She came back darker, and Granny wasn't sure she wanted to know what had happened between the Queen and her granddaughter. It took a while for Granny to notice at first. Red's dark moods always seemed to coincide with the full moon, and even if Red didn't know she was a wolf, the moon still affected her. But after Red had spent time wandering the world with Snow, after she had discovered she was a wolf, she had become a different person. She stalked and watched everything with a blank gaze that showed no emotions. She wore her red cloak less and there was nothing Granny could do to get it on her. All she could do was watch as each day Red became darker and darker. She'd disappear for long periods of time, never telling Granny a thing. Granny didn't even want to think about the poor boy who had turned up dead from an animal attack the day after Red overheard him insulting the Evil Queen. If only she wasn't the only one who saw it.

The second time Granny warned Snow about trusting Red had been many years later. The Evil Queen had retreated back to her castle, and despite threats of ruining people's lives no one was really worse off, not even eighteen years later. But Granny knew that one day something would happen and she suspected today would be that day. Red was excited around being allowed to take Emma hunting for her eighteenth birthday. Emma had specifically asked that Red take her out. Charming and Snow had agreed to think about it and eventually they said yes even though Granny had fought hard against it.

Snow only laughed at Granny's concern. "She's my friend, Granny. And she's Emma's godmother. They'll be fine."

Granny shook her head and left.

Snow and Charming didn't see it, the darkness that dwelled deep within Red. Sometimes others did, but it was rare. Leroy saw it, when he was drunk at one of the taverns Red was passing through. Away from Snow and Charming she didn't have the same patience and more than once he had seen her force people out of her way when they bothered her. He was all for a sister defending herself (if you tangled with a werewolf it was your own fault) but the way Red would make them scream and beg for mercy as she beat them went beyond defending herself.

So when Red and Emma rode out alone into the forest to start their week long adventure, Granny was there with Snow and Charming to see them off. Once Red and Emma had headed off, Granny sighed deeply.

"I warned you. When they don't come back at the end of the week you've only got yourself to blame."

Snow laughed again but Granny saw the grin spread across Red's face. She could still hear the conversation of course; wolf hearing was an amazing thing. Granny wondered what they'd find when they went searching after a week had passed and Emma and Red were late in coming back to the castle. It was possible that Red would stage their deaths so that no one would look for them. Or maybe they'd just disappear to the Evil Queen's castle never to be heard of again. Either way, Granny wouldn't be there to find out. She had always protected her family, and this time that meant disappearing so that no one could figure out the connection between Regina and Red.

The Evil Queen had corrupted her granddaughter and gained a powerful and loyal ally. By the end of the week Emma would either be dead or a prisoner. Granny didn't know which one was the greater evil. Red's words could only be heard by Granny and Emma, and Granny didn't doubt that it was all for her benefit.

"Come on Emma. I have a surprise I'm _dying_ for you to see. I'm sure it'll be quite _captivating_."


End file.
